When disaster strikes, every second counts in preventing the loss of life or property. This is especially the case when dealing with floods where water can rise at alarming rates, engulfing entire towns and destroying family belongings that have been collected over many generations. As a result, family heirlooms such as photographs, antiques and other irreplaceable items risk being lost forever, without hope for recovery. This being the case, people are willing to go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their homes and belongings during floods caused by hurricanes, tornados and floods. Unfortunately, with the exception of sandbags, dikes, and massive construction projects, there is little that can be done to protect ones home or building against the ravages of a flood. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which flood waters from natural disasters can be controlled in a manner that is quick, easy, and effective while doing it in a cost-effective manner. The development of this unique system and method fulfills this need.
Providing a temporary solution to the need identified immediately above, is the method and system incorporating an apparatus that is designed to hold back flood waters in much the same manner as a sand bag. The invention takes the form of a series of long flexible plastic tubes, each approximately 18 inches in diameter and approximately 25 to 50 feet long. Each tube contains a fill port which allows the user to fill the tube with water or similar fluid. Additional tubes can be stacked next to or on top of the first tube to form a complete barrier to flood waters. When filled, each tube conforms to the local ground conditions and to other tubes to form a complete barrier that is virtually impervious to water. When the need for such flood water protection has passed, the tubes can be emptied and stored for reuse at a later time. The invention is intended for use in areas subject to frequent flooding by rivers or streams and in coastal areas that may suffer from frequent encounters with hurricanes, tidal waves and the like. The use of the residential flood control system safely controls flood waters resulting from natural disasters in a manner that is quick, easy and effective thus protecting personal property and belongings.
Several attempts have been made in the past to develop a system and method to restrain minor flooding near residential structures via a series of interconnected, flexible tubular units and, more particularly, to each tubular unit connected one to the other by means of a weighted flap portion for additional anchoring. U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,594 in the name of Adler, et al discloses a movable barrier wall system that includes a housing assembly that has an interior chamber. A barrier member is made of a buoyant material having a selected density. The barrier member floats vertically within the chamber when a liquid is present. The barrier member may be made from a closed cell foam core that is clad with a fiberglass mesh material, and then the assembly is infused with a resin material. Alternatively, the core may be made from a plurality of elongated rods that are individually clad and reinforced with a shear layer. The individual barrier member modules may be assembled in an end to end relationship with an elongated vertical seal member therebetween. The barrier member may be selectively raised prior to and in anticipation of a flood situation of a nearby body of water by a pump and control system that may be automatically or manually controlled. At least one passive backup system is provided for filling the chamber when the pump or control system fails. The system includes a second pump for selective removal of the liquid from the chamber. Unfortunately, such a prior art system is cumbersome to move and store, is difficult to erect, and requires use of a pump system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,011 in the name of Nomura, et al discloses a movable water-protection apparatus capable of driving a water barrier plate manually or automatically when needed. The movable water-protection apparatus includes a water barrier plate for shutting out water, such as seawater, river water, and rainwater, likely to intrude into a basement and a driving device for driving the water barrier plate upward from an underground position along a guide device or a side plate. The water barrier plate is disposed in an underground space at an entrance of the basement. The driving device has a water pressure type piston/cylinder unit to which service water is supplied. Unfortunately, this prior art example requires professional installation below a ground surface of a property, is expensive to install, and mars the ground surface of the property.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,462 in the name of Regan describes a liquid barrier system that includes a structure forming a below ground level float-receiving chamber. An inlet passageway for round water or other liquid directs the liquid into the bottom of said chamber to fill the chamber when it is desired that a barrier wall-forming part of the barrier system is to rise above ground level. Where the barrier system is a flood water barrier, the chamber bottom connects with a sewer system so that the chamber does not fill unless flood risk conditions exist, as when sewer back-up occurs. A float structure with which the barrier wall is associated is vertically movable in the chamber from a bottommost position therein when there is no liquid build up therein to an uppermost position when said liquid rises therein where the barrier wall is substantially above ground level. Seals are provided which prevent the liquid from gaining access to said one side of the barrier wall. The seal preferably include surfaces on the housing structure and surfaces on the float structure which surfaces engage and are pressed into sealing relation by the buoyancy forces on the float structure when it reaches its uppermost position. Unfortunately, this prior art example requires connection with an existing sewer, which may not be possible for all properties needing flood protection.
None of the prior art particularly describes a system and method to restrain minor flooding near residential structures via a series of interconnected, flexible tubular units and, more particularly, to each tubular unit connected one to the other by means of a weighted flap portion for additional anchoring. Accordingly, there is a need for a system which provides such features while overcoming the above-mentioned shortcomings.